Ivar’s Lease Not Renewed at Sea-Tac Airport

Local sea-food restaurant Ivar’s announced today that the Port of Seattle will not be renewing their lease at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Central Terminal.

“After 12 great years at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), we’re shocked and saddened the Port of Seattle won’t be renewing our lease and we’re not going to keep clam about it,” the company said in a statement. “Ivar’s Fish Bar is one of the most popular airport restaurants in the United States,” said Ivar’s resident Bob Donegan in the statement. “There’s something very fishy here, and I don’t mean in a good way,” Donegan said.

The statement urged customers to take action to keep the restaurant in Sea-Tac. “We’re asking you – our loyal customers and fans – to visit KeepIvars.com and tell the Port you want Ivar’s to remain at Sea-Tac Airport,” the statement read.

On the KeepIvars.com website, the company said it has filed an appeal to the Port Commission to examine the flaws in the bidding process. The company also generated a letter for customers to let the Commission know how they feel about the decision. In full it reads:

“Dear Commissioners Albro, Bowman, Creighton, Felleman and Gregoire,

I am writing today to respectfully ask you to reconsider the Port staff’s recommendation to not renew Ivar’s lease in the Sea-Tac Airport Central Terminal.

Ivar’s has been honored 16 times as among the best airport places to eat in the country. Just this year, they were voted one of the “Best Airport Grab-And-Go Dining” options by USA TODAY’s readers nationally!

On top of Ivar’s great food and service, it is also a great citizen of the airport and Ivar’s is good to their staff. They supply free chowder to the USO for service members and their families. The four managers, who opened the store 12 years ago, are still the managers today.

I believe that Ivar’s is exactly the kind of restaurant the Port should want at the airport. There are just a handful of restaurants that Seattle is known for, and Ivar’s is certainly one of them. It seems only appropriate that they would be there to welcome travelers to our area.

I want you all to know that I believe the Port staff’s decision not to take these and other factors into account when making its decision caused the whole process to be flawed. I urge you to reconsider this decision and keep Ivar’s at Sea-Tac.”

The news comes just after Ivar’s flagship location, Acres of Clams, restaurant on Seattle’s historic waterfront sold to an LLC associated with A.F. Gilmore for $39.5 million.

Ivar’s, which first started out as a fish bar back in 1983, now has multiple operations on the pier and secondary restaurants around the Puget Sound region. There are 23 Ivar’s fast casual seafood bars and three full-service restaurants: Ivar’s Acres of Clams, Ivar’s Salmon House and Ivar’s Mukilteo Landing.